Condenser



24, Fig.2,

Jan. 17, 1933. A, MEYER 1,894,279

CONDENSER Filed March 24V 1930 OOOOO 000000000 0 WITNESSES:

- v. INVENTOR F A. MEYER.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 17, 1933 FRANK A. MEYER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL LSMJN AMI A, ASSIGNOR T9 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 8c MANUFACTURING COME'A Y, A C(JRFQRATION 033 PENIISYLVANIA CONDENSER Application filed March 24, 1930. Serial No. 438,408.

My invention relates to heat exchangers or face condensers of the type comprising a ll and nest of tubes therein and particularly to surface condensers of large capacity.

It has for its object to provide apparatus this character having the tubes rolleo or otherwise fastened at both ends in their respective tube sheets located at opposite ends of the shell and provided with means for permitting expansive movements of the tubes relative to the shell.

In building surface condensers of large capacity, one practice has been to provide for tube expansion by anchoring one end of each of the cooling tubes in one ot the tube sheets b rolling or otherwise fiizedly securing the tubes therein and slidably securing the other end of the tube in the other tube sheet-by means of a ferrule or packing oint. Another practice has been to fixedly secure both ends of the tubes in their associated tube sheets and to so support one tube sheet that it can float or move axially in response to movements resulting from expansion and contraction of the tube nest.

.ner of the foregoing arrangements is entirely satisfactory as each involves certain mechanical diihculties as. well as periodic maintenance work to retain the condenser in its proper operating condition. The best solution to the problem appears to be in pro viding for expansion and contraction oi? the tubes by mounting the latter in the shell in a 'htly bowed or curved position. Such construction permits the tubes to elongate and contract between fixed end sheets by a bendin action without subjecting the connections therebetweento undue strain. e r h l t e M t 1 le tot re \o, c e a r J. airangemen ms, 1 1e not been applicable to condensers of large ty because the tubes in these condensers such length that they must always be ,l capaci Les having bowed tubes and in the tu es are properly supported interoi tneir ends without interfering, to ie shghted extent, with their bending accapacity a .ing bowed tubes fixedly secured at "heir ends in theend tube sheets, a

structure i'or supporting the tubes intermediate of their ends which shall not interfere. with the bending action heretofore described.

These and other objects will more fully apby reference to the embodiment of my invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

1 is a horizontal, cross sectional view ta 1 on the tube nest center line 1-1 of Fig. 2- ano showing the arrangement 01 the tubes and the intermediate supporting sheets in the con denser shell;

a 2 is an enlarged view, in transverse section, taken along the line HH 0t Fi l and showing the intermediate tube supporting sheets divided into upper and lower-sec ti ns and the transverse guides upon which the sheets slide;

3 is anend view of one of the divided t rmediate tube sheets shown'in Figs. 1 and Fig. 4 is an end view of a different form of intermediate supporting sheet, which intermediate supporting sheet is made in one piece.

According to my invention, I curve the tubes transversely of the condenser and provide intermediate supporting" means which may comprise intermediate tube sheets provided with holes through which the tubes pass and in which they are supported. These intermed'ate sheets are slidably mounted on transverse guides so that they may move freely or float back and forth with the trans verse bending movements of the tubes.

Reterring'now to the drawing for a more ietailed description of my invention, 1 show n 1 and 2 a condenser having a shell 11 rovided with an inlet-outlet water box 12 at no end and a reversing water box 13 at the ther, the condenser being of the two-pass ype. Obviously, my condenser may be contructed either as a single-pass or a multi-pass condenser'by making suitable changesin the water boxes and pipe connections thereto, all

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as is well understood in the art. The water box 12 is provided with a lower inlet 12 and an upper outlet 12". The shell 11 is pr0- vided with an exhaust steam inlet connection 11 Within the condenser shell 11 is disposed a nest of tubes 14 preferably divided into two groups 15 and 16 arranged symmetrically about a vertical plane through the longitudinal axis of the shell. The tubes on each side are preferably curved or bowed outwardly from this central plane. This ar= rangement results in a uniform and symmetrical distribution of the curved tubes within the shell. In this connection, it is noted that the amount of curvature shown is not intended to accurately illustrate the curvature in actual practice as it may be less or even more than that illustrated, depending upon the operating conditions to be encountered.

The tubes 14 are fixedly secured at their ends in end tube sheets 17 and 18 located at the ends of the shell. The ends of the tubes are ex anded or rolled into the bore of holes provi ed in the sheets or by any other means providing fixed gas-tight attachments. At positions intermediate the end tube sheets 17 and 18, the tubes are supported by means of movably mounted or floating intermediate supporting sheets 19. I have shown supporting sheets at two intermediate positions but, obviously, the number of positions may be varied as required. Inasmuch as the tubes are bowed outwardly on each side of the longitudinal axis of the condenser, the intermediate supporting sheets 19 are divided, vertically, into right and left sections 21 and 22, each section being capable of independent movementin response to the direction of bend of the tubes.

As the condenser shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of thetwo-pass type, the temperature of the tubes in the lower half or first pass will be lower than that of the tubes in the upper half or second pass and, consequently, the bending of the first-pass tubes, as caused by contraction and expansion, may be difierent from the second-pass tubes. Accordingly, I sub-divide the right and left sectlons into upper and lower quadrants 23 and 24, each capable of independent movement.

The details of the intermediate supporting sheets 19 and their mountings will now be described. The sheets are located at predetermined points along the shell and are retained in position at the top by upper transverse guide bars 25, along the center by a lower guide bar 26 and at the bottom by a bearing pad 27. The upper guide bar 25 passes over the nest of tubes 14 and is supported at its ends in bearings 28 and 29 provided in the shell while the lower guide bar 26 passes transversely through the center of the tube nest 14 and is supported in the shell 11 in the same manner as the up er bar 25. These guide bars may, if desired, unction as stay bars for the shell by securely fastening their end portions to the shell, as by nuts 31.

The upper guide bar 25 engages the upper quadrants 23 of the movable tube sheets 19 by collars or brackets 32 attached to upper extensions of the sheets and encircling the bar 25 so as to slide thereon as the sheet follows the movement of the tubes. The lower quadrants 24 are retained in like manner by other collars or brackets 33 slidanly encircling the lower guide bar 26. In order to prevent longitudinal displacement of the ower portions of the intermediate tube support sheets, the bearing pads 27 are provided with suitable guide brackets 34.

In order that expansion of the tubes may always be in the same direction, suitable stops, such as 35, are fixedly secured to the upper and lower guide bars in order to limit the extent of inward movement of the intermediate tube sheet quadrants. For preventing longitudinal displacement-of the upper quadrants relative to the lower, suitable plates 38 are so attached to the lower quadrants 24 that they extend upwardly from the lower quadrant and cooperate with the collars 33 to slidably embrace opposite sides of the lower edge of the upper quadrant.

In cases where there is little or no difference between the expansion of the tubes in the upper or lower sections of the tube nest such as, for example, in condensers of the single-pass type, the intermediate sheets 19 may not be divided horizontally, but made in one piece as shown in Fig. 4. The arrange ment for mounting these sheets is substantially the same as described above except that the collars 33 attach directly to the sheet and plates, such as 38, are not used.

The operation of my invention may be described as follows:

When changes in temperature conditions within the condenser cause an elongation or contraction of the tubes 14 and this is not accompanied by a corresponding elongation or contraction of the shell and the end tube sheets secured thereto, a bending or straightening action of the tubes occurs which increases or decreases the curvature of the tubes. This produces a transverse movement of the intermediate portions of the tubes. However, the intermediate tube sheets 19, being mounted so that they may move freely in the direction of the bow of the tubes, offer substantially no resistance to the bending or straightening action of the tubes but follow or float with them in their movements. At the same time, the tubes are properly supported throughout their length by the intermediate tnbe sheets so that objectionable deflection is avoided. In addition, the tubes are prevented from vibrating as may be caused by the high velocity of the steam coursing through the condenser.

In cases where the operating conditions are such that the tubes in one section of the nest assume a different temperature range than the tubes in another section, the horizontally divided intermediate tube sheets,

such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, may be used. 'lVltll this type, the upper quadrants of the tube sheets slide on the lower quadrants, thus allowing the tubes in the upper sections of the tube nest to move independently of hose in the lower sections.

lVhile I prefer to bow the tubes in a horizontal direction and to have the intermediate tube support sheets movable horizontally and fixed vertically in order that the tubes may at all times be adequately supported as well as so retained as to prevent vibration thereof, it is to be understood that I may bow the tubes, as well as provide for movement of the intermediate support sheets, in other directions, my invention contemplating, in its broader aspects, a group of bowed tubes bendable in any one plane and an intermediate sheet or sheets for supporting the group of tubes, which supporting sheet or sheets shall be flexibly supported in the condenser shell in order that the intermediate supporting sheet or sheets may move in the plane of the bend of the tubes.

hile I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A heat exchanger embodying a casing having a steam inlet connection, tubes disposed Wit-hin said casing, said tubes being bendable transversely so as to provide for expansion and contraction, fixed tube supports located on said casing at the ends of said tubes, transversely movable tube supports within said casing located at points intermediate the ends of said tubes and means for restraining said tube supports from movement in a direction toward and away from the inlet connection and for affording freedom of movement in another direction.

2. A heat exchanger embodying a casing, a nest of tubes disposed within the casing, stationary tube sheets fixedly engaging the tubes at each end thereof, said tubes being curved in planes which are more nearly horizontal than vertical so as to provide for contraction and expansion thereof, and support ing means for thetube nest disposed within the casing and located intermediate of the ends of said tubes, said supporting means being freely movable in the plane of curvature of the tubes.

3. A heat exchanger embodying a casing, a nest of tubes disposed within said casing, said tubes being bowed in a horizontal plane, means associated with said casing for fixedly supporting the ends of said tubes, and other means disposed within said casing and movable in a horizontal plane for supporting the intermediate portions of said tubes, whereby said intermediate portions of said tubes may move'in the plane of curvature of said tubes.

4. A condenser embodying a shell, stationary tube support sheets located at the ends of said shell, additional tube support sheets located intermediate of said stationary tube sheets, means for supporting said intermediate tube sheets in a vertical plane and providing for movement thereof in a horizontal plane, and tubes bowed in a horizontal plane and extending longitudinally through said shell, said tubes being supported at their ends in said stationary tube sheets and intermediate their ends in said movable tube sheets.

5. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, a nest of tubes extending through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, each of said tubes being bowed to provide for expansion and contraction thereof, tube-supporting sheet sections located intermediate the end tube sheets and embracing, respectively, clusters of tubes of the nest, and means for supporting the intermediate tube sheet sections from the shell structure and providing for transverse movement thereof relative to the shell structure and relative to each other in response to bend l ing actions of the tubes.

6. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, an upper and a lower cluster of cooling tubes extending through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, the tubes of each cluster being bowed to provide for contraction and expansion thereof. a supporting tube sheet located intermediate of the end tube sheets, said intermediate tubesupporting sheet embodyin an upper section embracing the upper cluster of tubes and a lower section embracing the lower cluster of tubes, and means for supporting the intermediate tube sheet sections from the shell structure and providing for transverse movement thereof relative to the shell structure and relative to each other in response to bending movements of the tubes.

.7. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure. a plurality of groups of cooling tubes disposed in side-byside relation and extending longitudinally through the shell structure, said tubes being fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets and each of said tubes being bowed in order to provide for contraction and expansion thereof, a supporting tube sheet located intermediate of the end tube sheets, said intermediate tube sheet embodying transversely-disposed sections embracing, respectively, the groups of cooling tubes, and means for supporting the intermediate tube sheet sections from the shell structure and providing for transverse movement thereof relative to the shell structure and relative to each other;

8. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, right and left groups of cooling tubes extending through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, the tubes of the respective groups being bowed in opposing transverse directions in. order to provide for contraction and expansion thereof, a supporting tube sheet located intermediate of the end tube sheets, said intermediate tube sheet embodying right and left sections embracing, respectively, the right and left group of cooling tubes, and means for supporting the intermediate tube sheet sections in the shell structure and providing for transverse movement thereof relative to the shell structure as well as transverse movement thereof toward and away from each other.

9. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, a nest of cooling tubes extending longitudinally through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, said nest of tubes being divided into upper and lower portions and said portions being sub-divided into right and left groups, the tubes of each of the groups being bowed to provide for expansion and contraction thereof, a supporting tube sheet located intermediate of the end tube sheets for supporting the tube nest, said intermediate supporting sheet embodying sections corresponding with the number of groups of the tube nest and said sections embracing the tubes of their associated groups, and means for supporting the intermediate tube sheet in the shell structure and providing for transverse movement of its sections relative to the shell structure and relative to each other.

10. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, a nest of tubes extending longitudinally through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, said tubes being bowed transversely of the condenser to provide for contraction and expansion thereof, a guide bar extending transversely within the shell structure, a transversely-extending supporting bearing located intermediate of the tube sheets in the lower portion of the shell structure, an intermediate tube sheet mounted on said supporting bearing and embracing the tubes of the tube nest, and means for securing an upper portion of said intermediate tube sheet to said guide bar and providing for transverse movement of the intermediate tube sheet on the bearing in response to bending movements of the tubes.

11. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, a nest of tubes extending longitudinally through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, said tubes being bowed transversely of the condenser to provide for contraction and expansion thereof, upper and lower guide bars extending transversely within the shell structure and intermediate of the end portions thereof, a transversely-extending supporting bearing provided in the lower portion of the shell structure, a tube sheet slidably mounted on said supporting bearing and embracing the tubes of the nest, means for securing an upper portion of said intermediate tube sheet to the upper guide bar and an intermediate portion of said intermediate tube sheet to the lower guide bar, said securing means being arranged to provide for transverse movement of the intermediate supporting sheet within the shell structure in response to bending movements of the tube, and means associated with the bearing for preventing longitudinal displacement of the intermediate supporting sheet.

12. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, a nest of tubes extending longitudinally through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, said tubes being bowed transversely of the condenser to provide for contraction and expansion thereof, upper and lower guide bars extending transversely within the shell structure and intermediate of the end portions thereof, a transversely-extending supporting bearing provided in the lower portion of the shell structure, a tube sheet slidable on said supporting bearing and embracing intermediate portions of the tubes of the nest, said intermediate tube sheet embodying a lower section and an upper section and said upper section being slidably mounted upon the top portion of said lower section, and means for securing the upper and lower sections of the intermediate tube sheet to the upper and lower guide bars, respectively, said securing means being arranged to provide for transverse movement of the intermediate tube sheet sections relative to the shell structure and relative to each other.

13. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, a nest of tubes extending longitudinally through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, said tubes being bowed transversely of the condenser to provide for contraction and expansion thereof, upper and lower guide bars extending transversely within the shell structure and intermediate of the end portions thereof, a trans versely-extending supporting bearing provided in the lower portion or" the shell structure, a tube sheet slidable on said supporting bearing and embracing intermediate portions of the tubes of the nest, said intermediate tube sheet embodying a lower section and an upper section and said upper section being slidably mounted upon the top portion of said lower section, means for securing the upper and lower sections of the intermediate tube sheet to the upper and lower guide bars, respectively, said securing means being arranged to provide for transverse movementot the intermediate tube sheet sections relative to the shell structure and relative to each other, means for preventing longitudinal displacement of the upper section of the intermediate tube sheet relative to the lower section, and means for preventing longitudinal displacement of the lower section of the intermediate tube sheet relative to the supporting bearing.

14:. In a condenser, the combination of a shell structure, tube sheets secured at each end of the shell structure, a nest of cooling tubes extending longitudinally through the shell structure and fixedly secured at their end portions in the tube sheets, the tubes of said nest being bowed transversely in order to provide for expansion and contraction thereof, a stay member extending transversely of the shell structure at an intermediate point and secured at its ends to the shell structure, a tube sheet located interme diate of the end tube sheets for supporting the tube nest, and means for securing said intermediate tube-supporting sheet to the stay member and providing for movement of said intermediate tube-supporting sheet longitudinally of and relative to the stay member in response to bending actions of the tubes.

15. In a condenser, a shell having an exhaust steam inlet, tube heads, tubes having their ends expanded into said tube heads, supporting plate means for said tubes, said tubes being bowed where they extend through said supporting plate means, said supporting plate means being mounted for movement relative to said shell and in such manner that the maximum scope of movement of the plate means will be in proximity to said exhaust steam inlet.

16. In a condenser, a shell having an exhaust steam inlet connection, tube sheets, tub-es having their ends expanded into said tub-e sheets, a movable structure engaging the tubes intermediate of their ends for supporting the weight of the latter, said tubes being bowed where they extend through said movable structure and said movable structure being constructed and arranged to provide for movement of the tubes adjacent the exhaust steam inlet connection difierent from the movement of the tubes remote from the steam inlet connection, and means for supporting the weight of the movable structure during all positions thereof.

17. In a condenser, the combination of a shell embodying oppositely-disposed side walls, tube sheets disposed at each end of the shell, a tube nest including a bundle of tubes extending longitudinally through the shell and having their ends expanded in the tube sheets, a tube sheet disposed intermediate of the end tube sheets for supporting the weight of the tube bundle, the tubes of the bundle being bowed toward one of the side walls of the shell structure where they extend through the intermediate tube sheet, an inlet located in the shell between the side walls of the latter for conveying exhaust steam toward the tube nest, and means for supporting the weight 01": the intermediate tube sheet and providing for restraint of movement of the intermediate tube sheet in a general direction toward and away from the exhaust steam inlet and also providing for freedom of movement of the intermediate tube sheet in the general direction of the bow of the tubes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of March,

FRANK A. MEYER. 

